1. Field of the invention
The invention relates to a crosspoint switch comprising a number of selection bars and switching bars which cross each other at right angles and which are provided in the vicinity of each crosspoint with a recess and a guide, respectively, which enable the movement of a catching member which is actuated by the relevant selection bar and the relevant switching bar and which is arranged near the relevant crosspoint, the catching member movement being successively parallel to the movement direction of the relevant selection bar and the movement direction of the relevant switching bar, each catching member actuating at least one electrical contact which is arranged near the relevant crosspoint by way of a coupling member which has two stable positions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a crosspoint switch of the kind set forth which is known from German Patent application No. 1,933,167, the catching member consists of a unilaterally clamped wire spring, the free end of which is moved into a deflected position from a neutral position by successive actuation of a selection bar and a switching bar, the deflected position corresponding to the switched-on position of the relevant crosspoint. After the return of successively the selection bar and the switching bar to their neutral position, the wire spring and hence the spring contact which is actuated by this spring by way of a coupling member is kept in the switched-on position because the wire spring bears under spring pressure against a side of the selection bar which has returned to the neutral position.
A drawback of the described crosspoint switch is that even though the switching bar which is used for switching on the crosspoint can be utilized for switching on a crosspoint other than the already switched-on crosspoint, the selection bar used for switching on the first crosspoint cannot be used for switching on the other crosspoint. Renewed operation of this selection bar would cause the wire spring which bears under spring pressure against a side thereof to disengage from this side and to return to its neutral position by snapping into a recess which is provided in this selection bar and which corresponds to the neutral position of the wire spring. The already switched on crosspoint would then be switched off.